CODEL NELSON: GOV REACTIONS TO PRESS STATEMENTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CARACAS 001369

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2014
TAGS: PREL KDEM VE
SUBJECT: CODEL NELSON: GOV REACTIONS TO PRESS STATEMENTS


CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ABELARDO A. ARIAS FOR
REASONS 1.4 (D)


1. (U) GOV OFFICIALS REACTED STRONGLY TO REMARKS MADE BY
SENATOR BILL NELSON (D-FL) TO THE MIAMI HERALD ON APRIL 18TH.
IN THE INTERVIEW SENATOR NELSON HAD NOTED THAT THE U.S. KNEW
THAT THE GOV WAS AIDING THE FARC, WAS FAILING TO CONTROL A
BLACK MARKET IN VENEZUELAN PASSPORTS, AND WAS INTERFERING
WITH VENEZUELAN'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO CONVOKE A RECALL
REFERENDUM. HE DECLARED THAT THE TIME MAY COME WHEN
VENEZUELA MAY HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED HOSTILE TO U.S.
INTERESTS.


2. (U) VICE-PRESIDENT JOSE VICENTE RANGEL SAID THAT MANY
"CONCEITED" SENATORS COME TO VENEZUELA AS "TOURISTS", AND
THEN SAY "SILLY THINGS" ABOUT VENEZUELA. HE SAID HE WOULD
ASK FOR FUTURE OFFICIAL VISITORS TO PASS A LIE-DETECTOR EXAM.
"WE HAVE NOTHING AGAINST THE NORTH AMERICAN PEOPLE. WE WANT
TO HAVE SMOOTH, DEMOCRATIC, RESPECTFUL, CIVILIZED RELATIONS
WITH THE UNITED STATES, BUT THERE IS A GROUP OF NORTH
AMERICAN LEADERS, MEMBERS OF THE SENATE, WHO ARE EXTREMELY
IMPERTINENT AND WHEN THEY COME HERE THEY DO WHAT NELSON DID."


3. (U) NATIONAL ASSEMBLY (NA) DEPUTY TAREK WILLIAM SAAB,
PRESIDENT OF THE NA FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE COMPLAINED,
"NELSON GIVES ME THE IMPRESSION THAT HE IS A BLABBERMOUTH,
WHO ARRIVES IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY AND THEN, AFTER A
SUPERFICIAL VISIT, LODGED IN A 5-STAR HOTEL, HAS THE RIGHT TO
INSULT US." SAAB SAID NELSON'S COMMENTS DEMONSTRATED "THE
GROSS INTERFERENCE OF THE UNITED STATES IN OUR COUNTRY." THE
PRO-CHAVEZ LEGISLATOR SAID, "IT IS THE PRODUCT OF DESPERATION
TO SEND A SENATOR TO VENEZUELA TO SAY ANY NUMBER OF IDIOCIES
AND THEN PUBLISH THEM IN THE PRESS ... BUT AT THE SAME TIME
IT SHOWS THAT WE ARE CORRECT TO THINK THAT THE U.S. HASN'T
STOPPED PROMOTING DESTABILIZING AND CONSPIRATORIAL ACTIONS
AGAINST VENEZUELA."


4. (U) REFERRING TO THE SENATOR'S COMMENTS REGARDING LINKS
TO COLOMBIA'S FARC, THE MFA DECLARED THAT THE REAL DOCUMENTS
REGARDING TERRORISM SUPPORT WERE THOSE IN POSSESSION OF THE
STATE DEPARTMENT WHICH "ADMIT THE FINANCING BY THE BUSH
ADMINISTRATION OF TERRORISTS, COUP-MONGERS, AND FASCISTS WHO
HAVE ATTACKED VENEZUELAN DEMOCRACY" (REFERS TO FOIA DOCUMENTS
ON NED FINANCING OF PRO-DEMOCRACY GROUPS). THE MFA GOES ON
SARCASTICALLY TO ATTACK THE RELIABILITY OF U.S. INTELLIGENCE
AGENCIES, WHICH WERE "THE SAME ONES WHICH EFFICIENTLY
DETECTED THE MORTAL ATTACK AGAINST THE TWIN TOWERS IN NEW
YORK AND WERE THE SAME ONES THAT INVENTED THE FANTASIES ABOUT
THE EXISTENCE OF WMD IN IRAQ."

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COMMENT
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5. (C) THE GOV WAS STUNG BY THE SENATOR'S FRANKNESS -- ERGO
THEIR SHARP, INTEMPERATE REPLY. THE GOV IS EMBARRASSED,
SINCE IT HAD ANTICIPATED THAT SENIOR U.S. DEMOCRATIC PARTY
LEADERS WOULD BE MORE AMENABLE TO THE GOV -- AND THEY WERE
PROVEN WRONG. FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER CHADERTON TOLD THE
AMBASSADOR ON APRIL 22 THAT VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR TO
WASHINGTON ALVAREZ_ HAD BEEN OVERCONFIDENT IN HIS DEALINGS
WITH SENATOR NELSON.
SHAPIRO

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2004CARACA01369 - CONFIDENTIAL